Imaging and scanning systems can be used in a variety of manufacturing and engineering uses, such as reverse engineering. For example, in reverse engineering a unit under test (UUT), such as a system or structure like a vehicle (such as an aircraft, a land vehicle, or a maritime vessel) or a building or a complex system (like a power generation facility) can be imaged. These images can be processed to provide two-dimensional drawings or three-dimensional models that can replace and/or supplement drawings or models that may not exist, or may not be accessible, or that may no longer be accurate due to modifications to the UUT.
Some imaging systems, such as x-ray backscatter systems, can reduce time and labor involved in reverse engineering by enabling imaging of “hidden” components or systems or structural details. Existing x-ray backscatter images are constructed one pixel at a time by mapping a detector signal to a grid matrix of rows and columns corresponding to measured angle of a collimator and distance along a travel path. When a UUT presents a flat surface, the x-ray backscatter system remains a constant distance away from the UUT with a constant orientation between the UUT and the direction of travel.
When a UUT presents curved sidewalls and/or complex curvature skins, such as those in an aircraft or other vehicle, existing x-ray backscatter systems may not always be able to be operated such that the x-ray backscatter system remains a constant distance away from the UUT with a constant orientation between the UUT and the direction of travel. Distortion of the x-ray image can result from moving the x-ray backscatter system either closer to or farther away from the UUT or from changing angular orientation between the x-ray backscatter system and the UUT. Any distortion that may be in the x-ray images may be carried forward into a three-dimensional model reconstructed from x-ray images taken from multiple perspectives.
The foregoing examples of related art and limitations associated therewith are intended to be illustrative and not exclusive. Other limitations of the related art will become apparent to those of skill in the art upon a reading of the specification and a study of the drawings.